Joyful

Christmastime, I realize,
can be a painful and lonely time
for some folks.
There are people
that I wish were still here,
that I wish were still part of my life,
that I wish were closer.
The joy, however,
comes with memories,
with lessons learned,
with voices and laughter.
As much as there is always
something to be thankful for . . .
there is even more to be joyful about.